{A Fantasy Romance retelling of Alice in Wonderland}
In order to survive, a pirate and a thief must clear their names by traveling into a magical dream world together.
Adah Prideaux, seamstress by day, petty thief by night, finds herself in a world...
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Ezra approached the dais where the prince and his bride stood, shouldering his way through the gathering crowd of dancers, towing Adah behind him, until they were close enough to see Bastian and Francesca.
"You can't just drag me around," Adah huffed when they finally stopped. Ripping her hand from his grip and fixing the petals on her skirt. The music from the orchestra came to a crescendo when he spun around to face her, ready to defend his actions, but found the words stuck in his throat.
Instead, it was the thief who spoke.
"In case you've forgotten, we're supposed to be acting like we're in love. And more than that..." she took a step closer, her flowery scent advancing again. In the dim fairy light, with glitter stuck to her skin and butterflies in her hair, Ezra found it difficult to breathe.
She was beautiful to him, even now, knowing who she was and what she'd done. The very same energy that drew him to her on the streets of the Magic District was pulling him towards her again.
Adah continued. "We made a vow to trust and help each other. I know we got off on the wrong foot, but we are in this together now, and I'm trying to uphold my end of the bargain."
Strangely, and against all logic, he wanted to believe her. He wanted to want a friend or an ally in all this. Someone to make him feel less alone in the world, but therein lied the problem. He didn't know how to trust another person, because all trust ever earned him was another scar.
And the moment he'd let his guard down around this woman, she'd stolen from him.
The only reason she's being kind is so she can help her friend, the conman, not because she cares.
Remember, this is all an act. Most likely a set up by the Dream Healer himself. He probably knew about the circumstances, which was why he didn't jump.
Resentment and anger rose in him, eclipsing the desire to trust her once more.
"I made a vow to protect you. Not to trust you. And certainly not to dance with you. And in case you've forgotten, princess, we came here to find your singer and my niece."
Dancers whirled around them. Merriment rose like a tide. Adah took a step closer, and he wondered what she was planning to do. She was likely to stab him as speak.
She leaned in close, rising up on her toes, until her lips were at his cheek.
Ezra went rigid.
"I was right," she whispered. Her words tingled all the way down his spine.
"About what?"
"You really don't have a heart," Adah replied. "Do you?"
Ezra tried to swallow down the taste of stomach bile suddenly filling his mouth. If only she knew the truth. But she couldn't. No one could.
